Theological Term of the Week

tetragrammaton
“[T]he four Hebrew letters that make up the name of God. In English the letters are basically equivalent to YHWH. It is from these four letters that the name of God is derived and has been rendered as Yahweh and Jehovah.”1

• In scripture: 

Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The LORD [see note below], the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. (Exodus 3:13-15 ESV)

[In the ESV and many other translations, the word Lord, when spelled with capital letters, stands for the divine name, YHWH.]

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Heidelberg Catechism

As you probably know, I’m baptistic, so I don’t believe infants should be baptized, and I strongly disagree with the answer to this question in the Heidelberg catechism.

Question 74. Should infants, too, be baptized?

Answer: Yes. Infants as well as adults are in God’s covenant and are his people. (a) They, no less than adults are promised the forgiveness of sin trough Christ’s blood and the Holy Spirit who produces faith. (b) Therefore, by baptism, the sign of the covenant, they must be received into the Christian church and distinguished from the children of unbelievers. (c) This was done in the Old Testament by circumcision, (d) which was replaced by baptism in the New Testament (e)

(Scriptural proofs after the fold.)

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Sunday's Hymn: Beneath the Cross of Jesus

Beneath the cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty Rock
Within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness,
A rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat,
And the burden of the day.

Upon the cross of Jesus
Mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One
Who suffered there for me:
And from my stricken heart with tears
Two wonders I confess,
The wonders of redeeming love
And my own worthlessness.

I take, O cross, thy shadow
For my abiding-place:
I ask no other sunshine than
The sunshine of his face;
Content to let the world go by,
To know no gain nor loss;
My sinful self my only shame,
My glory, all the cross.

—Elizabeth C. Clephane 

The traditional tune sung by the Sharon Mennonite Bible Institute Singers

You can also listen to the Indelible Grace tune sung by Sandra McCracken and Derek Webb here.

Other hymns, worship songs, prayers, sermons excerpts, or quotes posted today:

• Count Your Blessings at The Happy Wonderer
• Vanity of the World at The Upward Call
• The Comfort of the Cross at Theology for Girls
• Open Minds, Soft Hearts, Ready Hands from Trevin Wax
• Your weekly dose of Spurgeon: Not doggerel at Pyromaniacs
• He shall save his children from their sins at Tried With Fire

Have you posted a hymn (or sermon, sermon notes, prayer, etc.) today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by contacting me using the contact form linked above, and I’ll add your post to the list.